Oh Yes I Did...

A friend reminded me this morning about the little group of congregants I enjoy every morning while getting ready for work. There's several of us at any one time, and the cast of characters changes over the years. Certainly even the faces in attendance varies day-to-day. Sometimes one of us is ill or injured, and their absence is noted and health inquired after when they reappear the next time. There are other times when I cross these ladies' paths later in the day and neither of us even blinks in recognition. Occasionally when paths cross and we do recognize each other, we both laugh at our momentary confusion, because we both "look so different in clothes."

I spend almost every morning in the gym locker room.

The group of regulars mostly stays the same, although the random graduate student comes and goes as they matriculate and graduate. But it's funny  how the simple act of getting ready together every morning bonds us to each other. We laugh as we blow out our hair and spackle our faces with makeup. We talk about upcoming vacations, and how we plan to spend our holiday breaks. Many discussions are held about the latest race who is participating in, and advise each other on various sports-related ailments. And the proximity and closeness makes anyone fair game; I've asked total strangers for a hand with a stuck zipper, a bandaid for a razor cut, or to borrow a hair dryer. There are several students whose names I don't know, but we still smile and greet each other cheerily when we meet while getting ready.

Once I noticed a lady snuffling into her face powder and blinking back tears. When I asked her what was wrong she burst into tears and talked to me about her aging mother's health problems. It was only after we talked and she dried her tears that I offered her a hug and we told each other our names. Once I got a resume critique for a job I had applied for and didn't get an offer for. I don't think I've ever felt more naked in my life. And talk about the mother of invention; I've worn sweaty gym socks under my boots, learned to always have a stashed pair of panties, and dried myself off with paper towels on more than one occasion.

This all got me thinking about the craziest thing that ever happened to me in a locker room. Several years ago, I got a short membership to a local gym because the university gym closed for the holidays. I was training for a marathon, and I couldn't take a break from the gym. I HATED IT. There was no community in that locker room in the morning. And it bothered me that everyone walked around completely naked - for Pete's sake it's the middle of winter AREN'T YOU COLD? WRAP UP.

One day, I walked in the locker room to dump off my bag, and there was this sweet little grandmotherly type buck ass booty naked getting ready for the day. I averted my eyes and tried to shuffle out the door hurriedly when she stopped me. And asked me to rub lotion on her back.

Oh yes. I did.

I kept saying over and over to myself this is someone's grandmother, this is someone's grandmother... and I did it and it was fine. But. I think next time that happens I'm going to pretend I don't speak English. 

this has nothing to do with the gym other than it was the first race of the year for amanda and me to run. i won the yazoo beer hoodie in the post-race party - it's a 2XL. i think the guy thought i wouldn't want it, but i have worn it pretty much non-stop since getting it. it's super comfy. and look, isn't that the best two-deaded monster ever?